Last week my wife and I played in her school's golf tournament. One of the worst sounds to hear while playing golf is someone yelling, "FORE!" It means "hit the deck!" During this recession there is a parallel to business - we always have to be ready for the unexpected: 


Focus: Don't dwell on past failures, set your eyes on future solutions. We choose what to fixate on.

Optimize: Winners leverage their strengths. Do what you're great at and delegate the rest.

Resilient: Life is going to knock you down, successful people get back up and keep fighting.

Effort: Make sure you are doing everything you can to better your chances of success. Failure is giving up.

I relate this idea to having a sense of urgency. When we get complacent, we are targets for defeat. Stay ready, while being focused on the right things and you'll be there to stand the test of time!